回首 Stanford 的阳光 (Part 2 of 5) - Winter Break @ Mexico 2006-2007

(1) San Miguel (19th Dec 2006)


Cathedral @ day.


Same cathedral @ night.


Street.


La Casa.


One of TA's many self-taken photos.

(2) Guanajuato (20th Dec 2006)


Aerial view of Guanajuato.


Companion.


Truco 7's Street.


Hilly Guanajuato.


University.

(3) Guadalajara & around (21st Dec 2006)


YJ flying by TA...


YJ grounded by me... I was tired after that!


TA taking revenge... I'm helping...


OK, a more proper shot...


Sumptous meal at friendly Chinese restaurant (these were the leftovers! you can imagine how much there was to begin with).


Agaves - main source of Tequila.


A tequila distillation plant at Tequila's hometown - Tequila.

(4) Acapulco (26th Dec 2006)


Fortress.


Tree.


Crowded and dirty beach.

(5) Mexico City (27th to 31st Dec 2006)


Interesting exhibit at the anthropology museum.


Amazed by I-forgot-what at Xochimilco.


Templo Mayor.

(6) Teotihuacan (29th Dec 2006)


On the way up the world's third largest pyramid...


We made it!!! TA still climbing??


Gorgeous view of Teotihuacan


Hmm... TA made it, but I still don't know what YJ was doing to T.


Seeing what YJ was doing, I fled down the pyramid!

Transition

Everytime I see my advisor, I feel weird. Everytime I hear her speak in her masculine voice, I'm perplexed. H still cannot believe she transitioned last summer, and still cannot imagine how a "he" she used to know would look like in dresses, makeup and jewellery and other accessories. Therefore, H kept asking me to take a picture with her. But, I still do not dare... :p

Everytime I meet her to discuss my thesis, I feel the urge to just ask her why. Why at this age? Why now? Why transition? What happened to her wife?

Maybe I'll get to find out when I know her better. Or maybe never.

记者的生活遐想

昨天在 Palo Alto 的 Nola's 吃晚餐的时候，他向我们娓娓说了他过去三十年的记者生涯，我们听了都惊叹不已。苏联分裂的时候，他在场；韩国办历史性的奥运会的时候，他也在场。在外飘荡几十年，报道历史重要事件，我对他的经历羡慕不已。我又想起在加沙地带（Gaza Strip）失踪好久的 BBC 通讯员 Alan Johnston，不禁觉得记者，这一行，虽然是危险的，但肯定是伟大的。但是，我又想起我的大部分记者生涯应该会在新加坡度过，想到了这点之后，什么刺激感都烟消云散。那天，我们还在讨论新加坡的报纸有多么沉闷，多多少少反映了大多数国人对国际时事漠不关心的可悲事实。大多数新加坡人的视线始终还是狭隘的。岛国的 “The Straits Times” 的素质有多差，这是大家都看得到的，根本就是无可否认的事实。

所以，以后有什么关键的国际事件，我想我只有旁观的份。什么时候我也能在 BBC 报道新闻呢？

什么是家？

前天跑步的时候，我想起了“家”。

跑完步后，想起了在前往大峡谷途中和 P 讨论关于“家”的含义的对话。

她说，岛国作为家的概念已经随着这几年在国外的留学生活而变得越来越模糊。

我理所当然对她的这一席话产生共鸣。

我们在别的地方落地生根的可能性逐日提高。因为我们的见识广了，因为岛国没有办法满足我们渴望自由的要求，因为我们在其他地方或许能比在岛国过得更加快乐。

当然，我们都不否认岛国培养我们今时今日成就的“功劳”，我们也不否认岛国是家人还有大多数朋友的所在地。

如何定义“家”这个问题于是又让我们哑口无言。车里的寂静和车外沙漠的浩瀚赫然间显得无比协调。

家人在的地方就是家吗？朋友在的地方就是家吗？培育我长大成人的国家就是家吗？一个人事业的中心的地方就是家吗？

我不禁想起最近能端主持的一个关于国民教育的对话会。我又想起我在国外念书的时候，会经常用“回家”的字眼来表达我要回宿舍的意思。

可是，到底，什么是家？“家”，作为一个概念，重要吗？

我真的不知道了。

回首 Stanford 的阳光 (Part 1 of 5) - Fall 2006

To make up for the lack of updates for the past year, here's a *tiny* selection of photos reviewing my past 9 months in the U.S. More will be uploaded in the next few days/weeks.

(1) Sonoma Valley - California on 23rd Sept 2006


Wineeeeeeee!!!


Vineyards.

(2) Hawaii during Thanksgiving (Nov 2006)


Hawaiian Shirt =p


Pearl Harbor.


View of Honolulu from Diamond Head.


At Diamond Head after a 30-minutes hike.


At the Polynesian Cultural Center.


The guys half way up Diamond Head.


Planting our own pineapples at Dole.


Romy's Shrimps!!! Yummy.


We went dolphin watching and snorkelling.


The waves are huge!


Surfing at Waikiki (Some of us had nipple abrasion! Ouch!).


Cock?

他们俩之间的笑声

我最近一直在看他们俩的照片，想起他们之间和以前的笑声，现在原来已不复存在。我始终不明白为什么，为什么，为什么。。。或许像他们异口同声说得吧：还有几个星期的时间，大家就曲终人散，事情或许告一段落，所以现在什么都无所谓？

可是，我还是觊觎听到他们彼此之间的笑声。他们也是如此希望，可是现实往往是事与愿违的。为什么呢？

六月了。。。

时间过得飞速，不知不觉已经六月了，一切好像幻觉。

有时候，我睡觉醒来，会弄不清楚自己是不是还在纽约，还是在拉斯维加斯，还是已经回到加利福尼亚州了。大峡谷的壮观，我想我这辈子也不会忘记，就好像秘鲁的 Colca Canyon 一样，两年前看到的绚丽，两年后还历历在目。而大峡谷的一草一木，还仿佛在我的视线不远处。

顿然间，我想起几米的一句话：“我守护如泡沫般脆弱的梦境，快乐才刚开始，悲伤却早已潜伏而来。”

六月了，又是到了“天下无不散之筵席”的时候。

~~~~~

＊我庆幸自己还有半年的学生生涯。。。 :p